Hospital opens rehab unit for bedridden

Dubai, UAE: The American Hospital Dubai has opened a new rehabilitation unit at its Dubai campus for patients requiring long-term care.

The Advanced Rehabilitation Unit, which was inaugurated , offers much-needed care to patients suffering from stroke or with spinal cord injuries.

Located at the hospital’s new Bed Tower, the unit has 22 private rooms providing patient-centric therapy and comprehensive patient care under one roof.

Rehabilitation is often needed to support patients after a massive stroke, for example, when the body may have lost half its normal functions affecting mobility, speech or resulting in significant brain damage, said Dr Nazakat Hussain, Clinical Director of Rehabilitation Medicine at the American Hospital Dubai.

“The aim is to get the patient back into the family home and community, living life as normally as possible. Rehabilitation includes intensive patient focus, and working with family members and other care providers, to help them adapt and support the patient.”

The multidisciplinary team consists of more than 20 people, including a physician specialist in neurological and spinal cord injuries, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist and full-time specialty nurses.

“Rehabilitation is still at the formative stage in the Middle East. The new unit will provide care to patients, who may face severely reduced mobility, speech or other bodily functions. These patients were not previously able to access this standard of care locally and had to travel outside the region. The American Hospital Dubai is already receiving patient referrals from our immediate region and beyond,” he said.

The outcomes for rehabilitation patients can be very good. Life expectancy for patients with these seriously debilitating conditions can be normal. However, specialty care is required long-term.

The good news is that patients can live fully productive lives. With the right level of expert support and care, these patients can enjoy a high-quality life involving favourite activities, and memorable times spent with loved ones.

“It is all about the hands-on compassionate care of an expert team of therapists, as they guide the patient in relearning skills and training them for a return to as-near normal life as possible, with the support of families/carers in the community,” added Dr Hussain.